press room

For Immediate Release

(Washington, D.C.) --Americans for the Arts, the nation's leading arts advocacy organization,

"We are pleased to recognize five stalwart individuals for their talent, hard work, leadership, contributions and commitment to improving the state of the arts in America," said Robert Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts. "This is the heart of our mission and we feel it is important to celebrate and honor those who give so much of themselves
--personally and professionally-- to the arts."

"Each year, it gives me great pleasure to chair this event, which honors fellow Americans for their dedication and devotion to the arts," said Mrs. Randolph Hearst, chair of the National Arts Awards Gala.

The Honorable Schuyler G. Chapin will receive the Arts Education award, presented by Jo Carole Lauder, recipient of the 2000 Arts Philanthropy Award. With more than 47 years of experience in arts administration, Chapin's accomplishments embody the essence of the Arts Education award. During his career, he has worked with New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani to provide resources to bring the arts back to New York City Schools through Project ARTS and the Center for Arts Education. Chapin also served as vice president, worldwide concert and artist activities for Steinway & Sons, overseeing the company's concert and artists activities around the world. While dean of Columbia University's School of the Arts, he was responsible for building a major graduate school for creative artists in film, painting, sculpture, music, theater, poetry, fiction and non-fiction and arts administration. Since 1987, he has served as the School's dean emeritus. Chapin was also general manager of the Metropolitan Opera Association, vice president of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and director of Masterworks and later as vice president of Columbia Records.

Architect Richard Meier will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement award, presented by Amanda Burden, an arts patron and friend of Meier. Trained at Cornell University, Meier's most well-known projects are the J. Paul Getty Center in Los Angeles; Atlanta's High Museum; the Frankfurt Museum for Decorative Arts in Germany; Canal Plus Television Headquarters in Paris; the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art in Spain; and the Atheneum in New Harmony, Indiana. A recipient of many of the architecture industry's highest awards, Meier's practice includes major civic commissions such as courthouses and city halls in the United States and Europe, museums, corporate headquarters, and housing and private residences. Meier has taught at Cooper Union, Princeton University, Pratt Institute, Harvard University Yale University and the University of California-Los Angeles.

MetLife, Inc. Chairman and CEO Robert H. Benmosche will be honored for Corporate Citizenship in the Arts, presented by Glenn F. Tilton, chairman and CEO of Texaco Inc. Under Benmosche's leadership, MetLife has funded the YouthARTS Resource Initiative with a $250,000 commitment for the three-year project designed to assist community organizations in creating effective programs for implementing youth partnerships in the arts. The staple of the Initiative, the Youth Arts Tool Kit, is a multi-media manual with information on everything from how to plan and evaluate arts programs to how to design or refine an existing youth arts program. Before joining MetLife in 1995, Benmosche was an executive vice president at Paine Webber where he oversaw the firm's southern division. Benmosche is currently on the board of directors of New England Financial and the New York Philharmonic.

Michael Greene, president and CEO of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Inc., and the Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, will receive the Arts Advocacy award, presented by a performing artist still to be confirmed. Since taking the reins of the Recording Academy as chairman in 1986 and later as president and CEO in 1988, Greene has led the growth of the Academy's membership from 3,200 to 17,000 music industry professionals. Greene is also president of the Academy's two non-profit arms, the GRAMMY Foundation and the MusiCares Foundation. Greene is the national corporate spokesperson for the American Music Therapy Association and has received honorary doctorate degrees from both University of Southern California and Berklee School of Music.

New York City Ballet's Master in Chief Peter H. Martins will be recognized with the Artistic Leadership award, presented by Wynton Marsalis, artistic director of the Jazz at Lincoln Center program. The Danish-born dancer, choreographer and Ballet Master began his career with the New York City Ballet in 1967, when he was invited to dance the title role in George Balanchine's "Apollo" at the Edinburgh Festival. He joined as Principal Dancer in 1970, from which he retired in 1983, and, in 1981, Martins assumed the position of Ballet Master. Martins became the Company's sole director in 1990. Under Martins' leadership, the New York City Ballet has commissioned the world premieres of numerous pieces from artists including Lar Lubovitch, Laura Dean, Eliot Field, William Forsythe and Paul Taylor, and he has personally choreographed many works for the Company and other projects. Martins' work has been featured on PBS's "Great Performances" and "Live from Lincoln Center" television series. Martins was dubbed a Knight of the Order of Dannebrog by Queen Margrethe II of Denmark in September 1983.

Mrs. Randolph Hearst chairs the National Arts Awards Gala; Mrs. David R. Goode is the dinner chair. Corporate co-chairs are Glenn F. Tilton, chairman and CEO of Texaco, Inc., and Mark J. Schwab, president and CEO of Binney & Smith, Inc. Past honorees include actress Uma Thurman, former First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, Mrs. Vincent Astor, Isaac Stern, Thomas Krens, Frank Gehry, Wendy Wasserstein, Sanford I. Weill, Alec Baldwin, Midori Goto, Gerald M. Levin, Beverly Sills, Jacob Lawrence, Jo Carole Lauder and Arthur Mitchell.